Garment-hanger.



No. 886,116; PATENTED APR. 28, 1908.

n. W. 'GUSTER,

GARMENT HANGER. APPLICATION FILED JULY {5, 1907.

inventor: W

AttyS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DWIGET W. (DUSTER, OF NEW YORK, N, Y.

GARMENT-HANGER.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, DWIGHT W. OUsTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at the borough of Brooklyn, city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and uesful Improvements in Garment-Hangers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawin s, which form a part thereof.

My invention relates to garment hangers, and more particularly to a type thereof adapted for use in a wardrobe.

The main object of the invention is to provide a garment hanger which is so constructed as to afford in compact form a support for numerous garments in a small space, in a manner to prevent their being wrinkled, or losing their form.

A still further object is to provide a garment hanger which, when not in use, may be closed in a compact form so as to facilitate its packing or transportation.

A still further-object is to provide a foldable garment hanger wherein both sides may be utilized to support garments, without having the supports on one side interfere with those on the other, while incidentally utilizing the garment or garments on one side as a means for holding the hanger open.

A still further object is to provide such a hanger with means supplemented to the gar ment forming the backing, to prevent the hanger being swung out of true by a slight impact of any object therewith.

A still further object is to provide a hanger adapted to hold trousers, vests and also coat hangers, all in compact form, and so arranged as not to have the various supports thereon interfere with each other.

A still further object is to provide a bi-part garment hanger, the sections of which are hinged together and each provided with various types of supports, thereon, adapted to hold different garments, which supports, when not in use, may be folded against their sections in a manner to permit these sections and the supports thereon to be folded together in a compact form.

A still further objectis to providea garment hanger adapted to carry arments on both sides thereof, and to be readily reversed in position to permit convenient access to any garment thereon. And a still further object is to provide a garment hanger of this Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 5, 1907.

Patented April 28, 1908.

Serial No. 382,198.

description which will be so constructed as to resist any strains placed thereon while being simple in construction and inexpensive to produce.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings :-Figure 1 is a front view of a garment hanger embodying my invention, opened and ready for use; Fig. 2 is a side elevation showin a pair-of trousers on the back thereof to illustrate the clear field allowed to the other supports Fig. 3 is a side elevationof the hanger folded Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the coat hanger support, and Fig. 5 is a detail view of one hinged connection between the two sections of the frame.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout the several views. I

In the embodiment of my invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, I have shown a bi-part hanger composed of two frames 0. I) each of which is a trapezoid hav ing the non-parallel sides of each in substantial alinement with those of the other. These frames are made of strips connected by mortise and tenon joints, or any other desired manner, thus leaving a clear field within each frame of a depth corresponding with the thickness of the stock used. Extending across and within each said frame a, b are a plurality of rungs c d which serve both as arment supports and if desired as tie rods for stiffening the structure. While the space within the frames is necessarily restricted, nevertheless there is ample room to permit the rungs c d to be used as hangers for vests and other light garments.

The frames a 1) respectively, have a plurality of bails e f pivotally connected with the outside thereof at points intermediate the rungs c d. These bails are thus permitted to swing forward out of proximity to the said frames and their contained rungs, to permit trousers, skirts and other garments to be hung thereover while being capable of being folded closely against the frames to permit the hanger to be folded into compact form. Preferably, to facilitate assembling and contribute toward an inexpensive structure, the bails ef are made of heavy wire bent to form. The rungs c (1 may be made of wood ormet'al as desired, the latter being preferable as affording greater room for the garment within the frame.

The top molding of the frame a has mounted thereon an arm 9 which is adapted to be swung close to the frame a when not in use,

or to be projected at substantially right angles thereto in a manner to form an elongated support adapted to receive the loop on a coat hanger of ordinary construction. Preferably I make the arm g in the form of a rod having a ball g or g on each end thereof which rod is supported by a bracket having substantially parallel arms h h on horizontal planes distant apart to an extent approximating the thickness of the rod-and a slotted inclined connecting web '5 whereby said arm will simultaneously engage both arms 7L 7L and thus be sustained in the projected position or permitted to drop through said bracket and be held substantially parallel with the frame by the ball 9 on the outer end of said rod. For economy of production, I form the metal cut out to form the slot in the web 1', into a tongue extending upwardly and use it as a part of the means for sus ending the hanger. To utilize the back 0 the hanger to the best advantage, I provide the frame a adjacent and on a vertical plane paralleling, the top bar thereof with a clamp bar 7c, preferab y mounted on screw bolts 7c having thumb nuts 7r thereon, whereby apparel may be clam ed against said to bar by said bar 7c. The bo ts 7c are preferably passed through the tenons of the joint to secure permanency of the joint. I provide the bottom bar of the frame I) with a similar clamp bar similarly mounted thereon, thus providing clamp bars at the opposite ends of the hanger. The clamp bars It being adapted to stretch one or more garments across the back of the h anger, when it is opened, to form a backing therefor, find that to facilitate this operation, and hold the hanger open, it is necessary to construct and arrange the frames in a manner to transmit all strain along the side bars thereof, while at the same time to cause such strains to act at a point forwardly of the oint of pivotal connection between the rames a b, or when said pivotal connections are off center. To accomplish this I set the hinge Z so as to space the rear edge of the adjacent bars of the frame apart, and permit the forward edges to contact, thus throwing the top bar of the frame a and the bottom bar of the frame I) forwardly of the hinge Z to an extent that the line of the strain will pass forwardly of the said hinge. This causes such strains of themselves to tend to hold the hanger open. To avoid the movement of removing garments from the other support, or the accidental knocking of the frame 1), destroying this condition, I use spring hinges Z normally tending to 0 en the hanger.

Inasmuch as both si es of the hanger are used to support garments, I preferably provide a swivel hanger therefor, to ermit the entire deviceto be turned at wi In the drawing I have made at m a conventional showing of such.

The frames a I) are made in the form of a trapezoid, and one of them as I) is made longer than the other, in order that when the hanger is folded, one frame a may fold against the other passing in between the'bolts 7r thereon, with its clamp bar 7c and bolts 7;" overlapping the bottom bar of the frame I).

In use, the hanger is open as shown in Fig. 1, of the drawings, and garments may be folded over the rungs 0 (Z the ends thereof falling within the frame a or b or against the rung next below. As these rungs and the space between the frames is adapted specially for light garments as vests, it will thus be seen that they will not project materially beyond the frame and will afford ample stora e space for a number of garments. The bai s e.[f may then be swung outwardly to leave a c ear field between the cross head thereof and the frames allowing ample space to receive a garment as trousers or a skirt which when the bail swings inwardly under its weight, will fit sufficiently close to the frame to prevent the weight thereof to open the hanger or permit the lower frame to swing free. By swinging the bails from the outside of the frames, I allow sufficient width to accommodate the garment without folding same in a manner to cause it to lose its form and at the same time provide a structure wherein the strains will not. tend to separate the bail from its support.

By releasing the thumb nuts 762 a clamp bar It may be drawn away from the top bar of the frame a and the bottom bar of the frame I) affording ample space for the insertion of one or more garments between said clamp bar and said other bar, such being secured in place by forcing the clamp bar against same by means of said thumb nuts. Preferably in securing said garment to the frame in this manner, the frame a, is swung backwardly on the hinges Z and after the garment is so secured, it is swung forwardly until the forward edges of the adjoining bars of the frames at contact, which will be at a point past the center line between the two clamp bars. This will cause the strain on the two bars to be such as to tend to hold the hanger open,

rather than to close it, and will bring the garments close against the frames in a manner to provide a backing therefor. These clamp bars may be utilized to secure three or four pairs of trousers in the hanger, and in a manner to prevent their being mussed or losing their .form. The spring hinges Z tend to normally hold the frames a b in. an open position, and the tension of the spring therein is such that it will resist slight pressure thereon.

When the arm g is projected from the ble.

frame a a number of ordinary coat hangers may be suspended therefrom, the extent of projection of said rod being sufficient to cause the clothes thereon to clear the bails e f. It will thus be observed that a hanger constructed as herein described, will hold within a space of three or four inches from 18 to 24 garments in a manner to prevent the wrinkling or the loss of form thereof and that both sides of the hanger are readily accessi- A device of this character has particular utility in connection with the modern wardrobe and wardrobe trunks and when not in use may be folded in a form not exceeding 16 to 18 inches square by 2 to 2 1/2 inches deep. It supports clothes in a manner to preserve their neat appearance in addition to having the large capacity above referred to.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings as such may be varied to ad t the device to different trade conditions an( different conditions in use.

Having described the invention what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent is 1. In a garment hanger the combination of a plurality of frames, means pivotally connecting said frames whereby one edge of each of the adjoining bars of said frames will be spaced apart and the other edge thereof permitted to contact, a plurality of garment supports accessible from one side of said frames, a clamp bar at the free end of each of said frames, means clamping a garment between said bar and its frame whereby said garment will tend to hold said hanger open and serve as a backing for said frames, and means whereby said frames may be suspended.

2. In a garment support, the combination of a plurality of frames, spring hinges connecting said frames normally tending to open said frames, and so set as to space one of the adjoining edges of said frames apart and permit the other edges to contact, whereby said frames will set, when opened, off center, a

plurality of garment supports accessible from one side of said frames, a clamp bar at the free end of each of said frames, means clamping a garment between said bar and its frame whereby said garment will tend to hold said hanger open and serve as a backing for said frames, and means whereby said frames may be suspended.

3. In a garment hanger, the combination of a plurality of frames, each shaped like a trapezoid, with the non-parallel sides of one in substantial alinement with those .of the other, the narrower of said frames being longer than the other, means pivotally connecting said frames, a clamp bar at the free end of each of said frames, means adapted to .act on said bars respectively adjacent to each end, to clamp a garment between said bar and its frame, one of said bars being wider than the other whereby the other frame is permitted to pass between the clamping means thereof when folded, a plurality of garment supports on the other side of said frames respectively, and means whereby said. frames may be suspended.

4. In a garment hanger, the combination of a plurality of frames, means pivotally connecting sald frames, whereby when said frames are opened said means will set off center, a plurality of garment supports accessible from one side of said frames, a clamp bar at the free end of each of said frames, means clamping a garment between said bar and its frame, whereby said garment will tend to hold said hanger open and serve as a backing for said frames, a supplemental hanger rod, means whereby said supplemental hanger rod may be projected outwardly or folded against the upper frame, and means whereby said frames may be suspended.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DWIGHT W. OUSTER.

Witnesses:

F. T. WENTWoRTH, P. V. WENING. 

